Wendi and Chris Fraley attend the memorial service for pastor Chuck Smith in Anaheim. He is the senior pastor of Wildwood Calvary Chapel in Yucaipa. "He is our mentor and friend. He came out to Yucaipa to dedicate our church in January of 2013," Wendi Fraley said. Although Sunday's service was mostly upbeat, there were tearful moments as well. MINDY SCHAUER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Chuck Smith

Chuck Smith, senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, died Oct. 3 at 86 after a long battle with lung cancer.

Hired to lead what was then a small congregation in 1965, Smith became one of the most influential Christian pastors in Orange County, a religious leader who helped give rise to the worldwide Jesus movement.

Over his lifetime, Smith's humble, open style of ministry fueled the spread of thousands of churches like Calvary Chapel.

Friends said he advocated a cover-to-cover study of the Bible.

ANAHEIM – The arena best known as the home of the Ducks was transformed Sunday into one of electronic banners and video screens honoring the life of longtime Orange County pastor Chuck Smith.

About 13,000 people gathered at the Honda Center to reflect on Smith's impact on their lives. The memorial honored the religious leader who helped give rise to the worldwide Jesus movement of the '60s and '70s and his nearly 50 years serving as senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa.

Smith died on Oct. 3 at 86 after battling lung cancer. Smith's private memorial and burial took place Oct. 11, but Calvary organized Sunday's larger, public memorial – a joyous, reflective take on Smith's personality and influence. The approximately four-hour ceremony featured eulogies by Calvary pastorsfrom around the world, both in person and on video, and some of Smith's favorite musical performers.

Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa was a congregation of about 50 when Smith was hired in 1965.

Under his stewardship, Calvary Chapel grew to more than 10,000 and was prominent not just for its size, but for its role in the creation of thousands of Calvary Chapels worldwide and its influence on generations of the faithful, as well as Christian pastors mentored by Smith.

Will Lynn, a pastor at Calvary, said the event was an “international memorial” dedicated to Smith's global influence. Members who could not make it to the 18,000-seat arena were invited to stream the event online or watch at some 330 churches worldwide.

“This is for every person who ever loved Pastor Chuck,” Lynn said. “This is probably the last time we will get together as big family like this for our beloved Pastor Chuck.”

Lynn said pastors and church members from England, Canada, Hawaii, Germany, Hungary, Austria and Sweden were expected to attend the event. He estimated that at least 60,000 people who could not make it were watching elsewhere.

Many Calvary pastors on stage praised Smith's humble, simple approach to his Bible teachings.Many ofSmith's favorite musicians also took the stage to perform and share their favorite memories of the pastor.

The event was a celebration designed to emulate what daughter Cheryl Brodersen called Smith's joyful approach to life.

“One thing about father is that he never lost the thrill of what God had done,” Brodersen said. “It didn't matter if it was a squirrel. He was thrilled at nature. He never lost the thrill of seeing a tree or fruit, and never lost the thrill of preaching the word of God.”

Carlsbad resident Tom Gilbert, 62, remembered when he first entered Calvary in 1971 at 20 years old. It was Smith's accepting nature and positive attitude that led him into Smith's church, despite his countercultural appearance – a sentiment many others expressed at the event.

“His message resonated with me,” Gilbert said, who arrived with his wife at 8 a.m. Sunday. “Some of us would go in barefoot after surfing and we were welcome there and felt at home.”

“It was like going from 1940s music to the Beatles,” Gilbert said. “I felt the Holy Spirit in his verse-by-verse teachings of the Bible. He was young, happening. Chuck made going to church and Bible study cool.”

Wendi and Chris Fraley attend the memorial service for pastor Chuck Smith in Anaheim. He is the senior pastor of Wildwood Calvary Chapel in Yucaipa. "He is our mentor and friend. He came out to Yucaipa to dedicate our church in January of 2013," Wendi Fraley said. Although Sunday's service was mostly upbeat, there were tearful moments as well. MINDY SCHAUER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
A public memorial service for Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa pastor Chuck Smith, nearly filled the 18,000-seat capacity Honda Center in Anaheim on Sunday. MINDY SCHAUER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Family and friends of Chuck Smith share happy memories at Sunday's tribute ceremony at Anaheim's Honda Center. The Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa pastor died at age 86 on Oct. 3. MINDY SCHAUER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
A spotlight illuminates two people of the thousands of audience members during a tribute ceremony for pastor Chuck Smith of Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa on Sunday. MINDY SCHAUER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Pastor Chuck Smith of Calvary Chapel talks about the movie "The Passion of Christ" in this 2004 file photo. Smith died Oct. 3 after a battle with lung cancer. He was 86. FILE: ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
An electronic banner at pastor Chuck Smith's tribute service proclaims, "Rarely does one man impact an entire generation, but Chuck Smith is such a man." Thousands attended his public memorial service at the Honda Center in Anaheim on Sunday. MINDY SCHAUER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Love Song performs pastor Chuck Smith's favorite song, "Little Pilgrim," during his tribute service Sunday in Anaheim. MINDY SCHAUER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Thousands of mourners attend a public memorial service for Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesapastor Chuck Smith at the Honda Center in Anaheim on Sunday. MINDY SCHAUER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Tom Stipe, senior pastor of Crossroads Church in Denver, talks about his friend Chuck Smith during Smith's tribute service Sunday at the Honda Center. Stipe was assistant pastor of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa under Smith from 1970 to 1976. MINDY SCHAUER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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